This post is a special edition of Memory Lane - a trip around the cul-de-sac known as the Labor Day Listening Room, or LDLR. A couple of years ago in a Notes from the Lab post I acknowledged that the pandemic and its lingering, potentially dangerous effects had likely spelled the end of our Labor Day music festivals held at Wiser Times, our family cottage. It doesn't seem fitting to let this beloved tradition fade away without its story being told. So here goes.
In the fourth post of this blog (August 6, 2012), I outlined the origin of our Music Night club and how it works. Since then I have provided numerous updates on our activities.
In the seventh post of this blog (September 16, 2012) I introduced the concept of a listening room. Unlike a formal Music Night, there is no theme nor a CD collection created around the music played.
The listening room concept was essentially created for Music Night nerds who couldn't wait two to three months for their next group music fix. Click on the links above for a full review of just how our random evening listening rooms morphed into the annual multi-day music extravaganza we dubbed Labor Day Listening Room.
The tradition had a great run, from 2006 to 2019. The size of the groups varied over the years, averaging about a dozen. When needed, a pop-up camper and/or tents were set up to expand the Wiser Times overnight accommodations. And the meal plan was sort of a three-day potluck. But the basic structure of fun activities set to personalized music remained the same.
As a rule, everybody was ready when their one-hour turns to select music came. In between turns we indulged in favorite distractions - chatting, relaxing on the deck or the gazebo (once we had one), swimming or taking a kayak out for a spin on Lake Huron. Long beach walks were popular as were side trips into Harrisville for the annual art show and barbershop quartet competition. A round of golf occasionally broke out. And yes, there was a fair amount of gluttony and libating. So here are some pics from the early years.
Nancy and I acquired the cottage in the spring of 2005. We spent that first summer fixing the place up and getting it ready for our intended uses. One of those was to entertain crowds.
The cottage was big enough for crowds. It had two bedrooms and three common rooms that could double as sleeping areas. Plus a large deck, a generous front yard and 65' of beach. To address the one remaining need, we added a second bathroom. By the spring of 2006 the cottage was fully furnished (mostly with hand-me-downs) and ready for business.
With trepidation, we sent invitations for interested parties to join us over the Labor Day weekend for what would be our first multi-day listening room. The grand experiment was on. Fortunately, we and our friends had talked about doing this for so long that the energy our guests brought easily overcame the predictable inconveniences of such a gathering. There were 11 attendees that first year. We all played nice, and the weekend was an overwhelming success. And without much reticence, the idea of holding the event annually was embraced.
Fortunately, though most of us were immersed in the fun and novelty of the whole experience, one of us was conscious enough to take a few pictures. She was also considerate enough to gift the pictures to us in a memory book still in residence at the cottage.
The photographic history of this first LDLR captured the spirit of what these weekends would grow into. First the players.
Around the dinner table seated from left to right are Nancy, Linda C, Linda M, Laura (our thoughtful photographer), yours truly, Jim, Mary, Pat, daughter Christine and Brian. This scene occurred nightly and was always a highlight of the day (missing from the photo is Laura and Brian's son Josh, whom I believe joined us later that weekend).
But we did more than stuff ourselves. There was lounging on the deck.
Beach time, playing and/or exploring.
And my favorite, sitting in the sand just staring out at what seems to be our own personal lake.
And time for sharing private thoughts.
Another feature of LDLRs was animal husbandry. Our Brittany Spaniel Copper kicked the practice off in our first year. She was a looker.
This last shot from 2006 is of our (overfed) cabana boy.
While starting out with only bar tending and kitchen cleanup duties, the role of cabana boy expanded greatly over the years as Wiser Times became a full service resort. More on that later.
From 2007 to 2010 the LDLR steadily matured and found its groove. Each year attendees with increasing ease would sort out the logistics issues at hand - meal planning, sleeping arrangements, music priorities, happy hour seating - and move quickly into the music-sharing activities. Everyone knew the drill.
Group dinners continued during which we would review the day's events and plan for more. In this 2007 shot Jeff and Deandra R. and their kids Miranda and Justin made their first LDLR appearance (seated around the near end of the table).
And the cottage itself, out of necessity in some cases, received upgrades. For example, this baby.
When we acquired Wiser Times, one of its downsides was no covered outdoor seating. To fill this void we added this 10x16 screen porch, which we secured to the deck with an ingenious array of wood screws. The inside of the screen porch was roomy, housing a deck table and chairs, the family glider and storage for some beach furniture. It also opened up to one of the sliding glass doors into the house. Very convenient. Although somewhat fragile in high winds and heavy rains, this burgundy beauty gave us a few years of faithful service. We had to pack it away each fall and reinstall it in the spring. But it was worth it.
To handle any overflow, we added a smaller canopy out in the yard.
It didn't have quite the charm or sturdiness as its deck cousin, but this junior partner served its purpose well. For about three years until the sun literally baked it to shreds. Above also note in the foreground the third (sort of) covered sitting area that came about by relocating the former deck umbrella to the front yard picnic table. And if sitting around wasn't your thing, there was a hammock so you could lie around instead (shown here in the background).
Copper began hosting her own guests. Here she is with Jeff and Deandra's Brittany Belle. Both dogs reveled in this strange place where there were almost unlimited treats (read food droppings) and people willing to pet them. The girls were always a big hit.
2008 and 2009 were banner years as judged by this scene in the parking lot (our back yard).
Temporary housing sprang up when needed, like the Reinhart's camping trailer.
The erection of such elaborate guest quarters always drew a crowd looking for entertainment. Here I am narrating the process for dazzled onlookers.
In this shot of the cottage from the beach you can see Big Blue pitched on the north side of the house. Big Blue was our 8x10 canvas wall tent that has been in my family since the early 70s. Refurbed a time or two, this old friend served handsomely as sleeping space for up to four adults or any number of kids.
Once guests settled in on Friday night, the usual activities began and generally ran to either Sunday night or Monday morning. The primary activity of course was non-stop music from noon each day until 9:00 in the evening. Participants typically had two turns over the weekend during which they would take over the music for an hour. While some of us prepared playlists in advance of the weekend, a major sub-activity for many was scrambling to create their playlists before their turns came up. So as with everything else involving this small community of long-time friends, there was an impressive blend of planning and spontaneity.
Superimposed over the constant music were the many comforts and enjoyments offered by our venue. There was adult time on the beach.
Kid time, more in the beach than on it.
Buffet lunches.
More rock hunting along the water's edge.
Some grill-mastering (and a lot of equally masterful grill-watching).
Not to mention the prime-time evening activities of happy hour.
Group dinner.
And late-evening beach fires and stargazing.
And every once in a while, sneaking off to re-grip your clubs (a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do).
2010 saw a major upgrade to the Wiser Times facilities. A couple of weeks before our LDLR we asked a local builder to construct an outdoor covered seating facility for us, to replace our aforementioned shredded yard canopy. So he and his son spent a week in the front yard with a pile of lumber and a table saw and came up with this.
We were thrilled. The builder, Dave P, was quite a find. He built the gazebo with no blueprint. Just his experience and ingenuity. He said he knew the proper angles because he had built his home in the shape of an octagon. Of course. What's the problem?
We were so impressed with Dave's skills we kept him busy for the next 10 years. He completed several major projects for us including the construction of our "barn" and the extensive rebuild of the front of the cottage (much of this work was covered in a series of earlier posts beginning with "The Joys of Home Ownership Part 1).
From this point on the gazebo played a major role in the life of Wiser Times and in LDLRs. A favorite spot to lunch, play a round of Farkle or Quirkle with the kids, enjoy the view with a glass of wine or something stronger, or relax after dinner and watch the moon rise.
I think this gives you the basic idea of what the LDLR was all about. So I'll close for now and pick up the rest of the story in my next post.
Until then,
Grosse Pointe Charles
